Red Shoe Diaries is an American erotic drama anthology series that aired on Showtime from 1992 to 1997, and was distributed by Playboy Entertainment overseas. It is a spin-off of the television film of the same name directed by Zalman King. Most episodes were directed by either King or Rafael Eisenman.
| Red Shoe Diaries | |
|---|---|
 The cover for one of the DVD releases | |
| Genre | Anthology Drama Eroticism |
| Created by | Zalman King Patricia Louisianna Knop |
| Composer | George S. Clinton |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 66 (+ 1 television film) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies | The Zalman King Company Showtime Networks |
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | June 27, 1992 – June 1, 1997 |
The storylines usually have a plot revolving around romantic intrigue and the sexual awakening of a woman who often also narrates. Sensuous love scenes with nudity as well as sultry, moody music are characteristic for most episodes. There is no story arc or characters connecting the different stories other than Jake Winters introducing each episode.
Premise
editJake Winters (David Duchovny) places an ad in the newspaper under "Red Shoes", seeking women to mail in their personal diaries with stories of love, passion and/or betrayal. He is then shown walking on desolate train tracks with his dog Stella. He begins reading a letter from his post office box out loud that begins with "Dear Red Shoes..." In the pilot film, Jake lost his fiancée to suicide and discovered she kept a diary detailing an affair she had with a construction worker and shoe salesman who sold her a pair of red high heels. He placed the ad in the newspaper in an effort to make sense of his fiancée's secret life through the stories of women in similar situations. Each episode is devoted to a woman's story Jake receives, and begins and ends with Jake's comments to Stella.
Production
editZalman King conceived of an erotic television series that would air on premium cable, which was then a burgeoning market as it was not beholden to MPAA ratings.[1] With his wife and collaborator Patricia Louisianna Knop, King wrote the script for the television film Red Shoe Diaries, intending it to be the pilot for the anthology series. The film, in conjunction with four episodes, was pitched to Showtime in 1991.[2][3][4]
Said King: "I wanted to do an anthology series from a very intimate, woman's point of view."[5] He dismissed the term softcore to categorize his work because of its pornographic connotations, saying, "Eroticism has a real place in my vocabulary because [it] usually needs to move out of a relationship or some sort of tension and that's what I'm very interested in. I usually think of my work as romance."[6][7] Producer David Saunders said, "We weren't interested in making porn. We wanted to make erotic movies with good stories that looked great, were well-acted, and that concerned women as well as men. Showtime's interests and our interests coincided."[2] Of the show's content, writer Chloe King said, "It's not wham-bam thank you ma’am. There's more intellectual than physical foreplay."[5] Lizzie Borden, Anne Goursaud, Mary Lambert, Nelly Alard, and Elise D'Haene were among the female writers and directors on the show.[2]
David Duchovny was cast in The X-Files shortly after signing on to do the pilot film. Though his character's story is continued in the episode entitled "Jake's Story", he mostly appears as the series' narrator, bookending each episode.[2]
Episodes were mostly filmed in Canoga Park in the San Fernando Valley.[2] Later locations included Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,[8] and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.[2]
Episodes
editSeason 1 (1992)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Safe Sex" | Zalman King | Melanie Finn, Henry Cobbold | June 27, 1992 | |
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A man and a woman decide to have a no-strings-attached affair after sharing a cab together. Cast : Steven Bauer, Joan Severance, John Toles-Bey | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Double Dare" | Tibor Takács | Rod McCall, Merle Worth | July 18, 1992 | |
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An advertising executive begins a flirtation with a man who works in the office building across from her. Cast : Laura Johnson, Arnold Vosloo, Scott Lawrence, Michael Woods | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "You Have the Right to Remain Silent" | Zalman King | Zalman King, Rafael Eisenman, Henry Cobbold | August 8, 1992 | |
|
A female police officer gets a stranger's attention by arresting him. Cast : Denise Crosby, Robert Knepper, Pat Banta | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Talk to Me Baby" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | August 22, 1992 | |
|
After his girlfriend Elaine catches him cheating on her, Bud looks for excitement in reckless driving. Cast : Richard Tyson, Lydie Denier, Kim Burnette, Peter Spellos | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Just Like That" | Ted Kotcheff | Chloe King | April 17, 1993 | |
|
Trudie, an aspiring lawyer, finds herself drawn between two men who are complete opposites. Cast : Nina Siemaszko, Matt LeBlanc, Carl Gilliard, Tchéky Karyo, Victoria Mahoney, Renata Scott | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Another Woman's Lipstick" | Zalman King | Ed Silverstein | May 13, 1993 | |
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After discovering her husband is having an affair, Zoe dresses up as a man to catch her husband and uncover the identity of his mistress. Cast : Maryam d'Abo, Christina Fulton, Annabelle Gurwitch, Kevin Haley, Miranda Garrison | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Auto Erotica" | Zalman King | Ned Bowman | May 29, 1993 | |
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Claudia is challenged to a high speed chase through the empty streets by a handsome pedestrian. Cast : Nick Chinlund, Caitlin Dulany | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Jake's Story" | Michael Karbelnikoff | Ed Silverstein | July 10, 1993 | |
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Several months after the events of the film, Jake is approached by a mysterious woman at the diner who takes him along to one of her photo shoots and shows him a possible way out of his grief. Cast : Sheryl Lee, David Duchovny, William Paul Burns, Angela Cornell, Audie England, Frederick Washburn | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Accidents Happen" a.k.a. "The Fling" | Alan Smithee[a] | Laurie Frank, Patricia Louisianna Knop | May 15, 1993 | |
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An Italian maid finds the private home videos of her employers. Cast : Ally Sheedy, Marina Giulia Cavalli, Scott Plank | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Bounty Hunter" | Peter Care | David Codikow, Melanie Finn (story) | May 1993 | |
|
Evan, a bounty hunter, meets her match in the handsome con artist she's tracking. Cast : Ron Marquette, Claire Stansfield, Sue Kiel, Nicholas Love, Dee McCafferty | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Weekend Pass" | Ted Kotcheff | Zalman King, Melanie Finn (story) | June 12, 1993 | |
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Chandler crosses paths with Eddie, a handsome drifter at the local bar on Christmas Eve. Cast : Anthony Addabbo, Ely Pouget, Shashawnee Hall, Renée Estevez | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Double or Nothing" | Dominique Othenin-Girard | Zalman King, Melanie Finn (teleplay) | June 19, 1993 | |
| 13 | 13 | "How I Met My Husband" | Bernard Auroux | Elizabeth Schwarz, Melanie Finn (teleplay) | June 26, 1993 | |
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Alice takes classes to become a dominatrix. Cast : Luigi Amodeo, Neith Hunter, Sue Kiel, Jennifer Burton, Alex Ardenti, Andrea Riave | ||||||
Season 2 (1993)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1 | "Midnight Bells" | Anne Goursaud | Joëlle Bentolila | December 18, 1993 | |
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A woman reminisces about a man she spent three New Year's Eves with. Cast : Charlotte Lewis, Carsten Norgaard, Luc Leestemaker | ||||||
| 15 | 2 | "Naked in the Moonlight" | Philippe Angers | Melanie Greene, Melanie Finn, Zalman King | April 30, 1994 | |
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Camille inherits a fortune and a prized '57 Cadillac, which she takes to a mechanic. Cast : Raven Snow, John Enos III, Rudy de Rooy, California Ralph | ||||||
| 16 | 3 | "Runway" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn, Zalman King | May 21, 1994 | |
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Alia is an in-demand fashion model but has become disenchanted with the supermodel life. After striking up a conversation with cab driver Miguel, she decides to turn the tables and camera on him. Cast : Amber Smith, Udo Kier, Daniel Anibal Blasco, Jennifer Burton, James DeAngelo, Darienne Arnold, Lorna Firman, Deborah Lin, Andrea Riave, Frederick Washburn | ||||||
| 17 | 4 | "Kidnap" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn, Zalman King | June 11, 1994 | |
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On her way to closing the biggest deal of her career, Sara is kidnapped by a bank robber. Cast : Ron Marquette, Jennifer Ciesar, Matt LeBlanc, Robert Mailhouse, Dee McCafferty, Robert Peters | ||||||
| 18 | 5 | "Burning Up" | Rafael Eisenman | Patricia Louisianna Knop | July 14, 1994 | |
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A woman has a fling with a fireman. Cast : Alexandra Tydings, Mark Zuelke, Anthony Guidera, Rhonda Aldrich, Ivan Allen, Avalon Anders, Jennifer Burton | ||||||
| 19 | 6 | "Night of Abandon" | René Manzor | Henry Cobbold | TBA | |
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A shy woman visits her grandmother in Rio de Janeiro and discovers lust with a Brazilian man during Carnival. Cast : Ann Cockburn, Daniel Leza, Catalina Bonakie | ||||||
| 20 | 7 | "Liar's Tale" | James Gavin Bedford | Melanie Finn | TBA | |
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Corey, a burnt out photojournalist assigned to cover the L.A. sex scene, meets a high-class call girl who fascinates her. Cast : Erika Anderson, Audie England, Lorna Firman, Margaret Makinen, Peter Quartaroli, Terrence Sheahan, Paula Venice | ||||||
| 21 | 8 | "In the Blink of an Eye" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn, Zalman King | TBA | |
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Kathryn, an upper-class woman in France, is tempted to cheat on her powerful husband with a boxer. Cast : Laurie Simpson, Julien Maurel, Richard Dieux, Brian Edwards, Philippe Nahon, Dominique Valera | ||||||
| 22 | 9 | "Hotline" | David Womark | Melanie Finn, Gilles de Baillenx | TBA | |
|
Tess takes a job at a phone sex hotline. Cast : Audie England, George Pilgrim, Don Bloomfield, María Celedonio, Margaret Cho, Wendy Schaal, Judy Toll | ||||||
| 23 | 10 | "Love at First Sight" | Zalman King | Zalman King | TBA | |
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Harry and Cecelia, a couple on the run, pick up a hitchhiking bride. Cast : Alexandra Tydings, Anthony Addabbo, Eric James, Denice D. Lewis | ||||||
| 24 | 11 | "Gina" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King | TBA | |
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Gina decides to shake up her life by moving to Paris. Cast : Lynette Walden, Michel Allaire, Stéphane Bonnet, Hervé Gamelin, Sabine Tingry, Didier Yakar | ||||||
| 25 | 12 | "Alphabet Girl" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn | TBA | |
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A fashion model finds love. Cast : Christiana D'Amore, Justin Carroll, Brad Joseph Dubin | ||||||
| 26 | 13 | "Some Things Never Change" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn | TBA | |
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The independent head of a fashion company and a temperamental commercial director rekindle their flame. Cast : Marina Giulia Cavalli, Brad Fisher, Sylvie Guelton, Guy Amram, Hero Kawashima | ||||||
Season 3 (1994)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1 | "You Make Me Want to Wear Dresses" | Daniel Ducovny | Melanie Finn | TBA | |
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Tomboy Brandy is persuaded by Calahan to ditch her cowgirl slacks for dresses. Cast : Sammi Davis, Maximo Morrone, Michelle Beauchamp, Jason Court | ||||||
| 28 | 2 | "The Game" | Philippe Angers | Chloe King | TBA | |
|
A bored married couple invent a board game to renew their intimacy. Cast : Caron Bernstein, Frederick Washburn, Eugene Choy, Tarik Ergin, Allan Graf, Kether Parker, Janine Stillo, Michael T. Weiss | ||||||
| 29 | 3 | "The Cake" | Brian Grant | Kathryn MacQuarrie | TBA | |
|
Juliet comes up with an idea for the cake for her husband's birthday. Cast : Jennifer MacDonald, Christian LeBlanc, Saxon Trainor, Peter Sands, John Bergantine, Tarik Ergin, Robert Peters, Barbara Pilavin, Janine Stillo, Sheelagh Cullen | ||||||
| 30 | 4 | "Like Father, Like Son" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King, Joshua Gray | TBA | |
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A French woman recounts how her boyfriend Jamie became involved with opera singer Celeste, who also happens to be the lover of Jamie's father. Cast : Arielle Dombasle, Elodie Frenck, Will Stewart, Jean-Yves Gautier | ||||||
| 31 | 5 | "Borders of Salt" | Tibor Takács | Joëlle Bentolila | TBA | |
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Claire and Paul have a brief romantic encounter on the train. Cast : Alan Boyce, Sofia Shinas, Peter Quartaroli | ||||||
| 32 | 6 | "Written Word" | Stephen Halbert | Kathy MacQuarrie | TBA | |
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Law professor Clare discovers the identity of the secret admirer who sends her letters every week. Cast : Robbi Chong, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Rhonda Aldrich, Peter Gregory | ||||||
| 33 | 7 | "Girl on a Bike" | Lydie Callier | Zalman King, Joshua Gray | TBA | |
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Will goes on a wild goose chase through the streets of Paris to find a girl he saw bicycling and immediately became smitten with. Cast : Brent David Fraser, Géraldine Cotte | ||||||
| 34 | 8 | "Emily's Dance" | Zalman King | Richard Baskin | TBA | |
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Emily is chosen to be the lead dancer in a music video, but becomes flustered when she has to dance with the video's star. Cast : Freedom Williams, Mari Morrow, Kent King, Lisa Boyle, Neisha Folkes-LeMelle, Wylie Draper | ||||||
| 35 | 9 | "Four on the Floor" | Rafael Eisenman | Joëlle Bentolila | TBA | |
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A car crash in a rainstorm strands two couples at a deserted building. Cast : Christopher Atkins, Jsu Garcia, Dominique Abel, Rachel Palmieri | ||||||
| 36 | 10 | "The Psychiatrist" | David Womark | Nelly Alard | TBA | |
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Psychiatrist Evelyn is compelled into her own journey of sexual self-discovery when one of her patients confides to her about her sexual encounters with men. Cast : Denise Crosby, Georges Corraface, Demetra Hampton, Natasha Cashman, Manoëlle Gaillard, Laurent Le Doyen, Paco Reconti, Richard Magaldi | ||||||
| 37 | 11 | "Luscious Lola" | Stephen Halbert | Chloe King | TBA | |
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Mild-mannered Mimi creates a strong vivacious alter ego named "Luscious Lola". Cast : Bobbie Phillips, Michael Bendetti, Christina Fulton, Herbie Tribino | ||||||
| 38 | 12 | "Mercy" | Zalman King | Elise D'Haene, John Enos III | TBA | |
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Rebecca is torn between two men, her husband and a younger man. Cast : John Enos III, Heidi Mark, Joseph Whipp, Vance Harvey | ||||||
| 39 | 13 | "The Last Motel" | Zalman King | Pascal Franchot, Elisa D'Haene | TBA | |
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The paths of five guests, including a sailor, a couple, and five women, converge at a motel. Cast : Perrey Reeves, Michael Burke, Ernie Lee Banks, Andrew Bilgore, Darren Foy, Rina Garcia, Rita Branch, Laurel Wiley, Ed Wing | ||||||
Season 4 (1995)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40 | "Billy Bar" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King | TBA | |
|
A former football star and prom queen realize their marriage is falling apart during Mardi Gras weekend. Cast : Anthony Addabbo, Troy Beyer, May Karasun, Jacqueline Lovell | ||||||
| 2 | 41 | "Divorce, Divorce" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King, Zalman King (story) | TBA | |
|
A couple in the midst of a divorce are stuck together for one fateful night. Cast : Audie England, Brad Fisher, Denice D. Lewis, Scott Plank, Brittany Ashton Holmes, Jennifer Rhodes | ||||||
| 3 | 42 | "Cowboy, Cowboy" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | TBA | |
|
A recent divorcee returns to her hometown and falls head over heels for a charming cowboy. Cast : Mark Zuelke, Kathrin Nicholson, Pat Destro, Hollie Hummel | ||||||
| 4 | 43 | "Caged Bird" | Rafael Eisenman | Elise D'Haene | TBA | |
|
While in solitary confinement, Dakota meets Charlie, a prison guard. Cast : Shannon Atteberry, Hector Hank, Arroyn Lloyd, Jacqueline Lovell, Henric Nieminen | ||||||
| 5 | 44 | "The Ex" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King | TBA | |
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Daisy and her new boyfriend Michael find themselves hostages of her ex. Cast : Kathrin Nicholson, Matt George, Brian Zuckerman | ||||||
| 6 | 45 | "The Teacher" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | TBA | |
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A married woman has a passionate affair with her tennis teacher, only to find out her husband hired him to enliven their humdrum marriage. Cast : Anthony Addabbo, Jacqueline Lovell, Mikhail Mamayev | ||||||
| 7 | 46 | "Swimming Naked" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn | TBA | |
|
A swimmer competing for the Olympics catches the eye of a small-town lifeguard. Cast : Kristi Frank, Omry Reznik, Kenneth David Ebling, Henric Nieminen, Robin Sagstetter, Carrie Sturdevant Fisher | ||||||
| 8 | 47 | "Jump" | Rafael Eisenman | Kathy McQuarrie, Chloe King | TBA | |
|
Tory goes skydiving on the eve of her engagement, which forces her to confront her fear and the reality she's been afraid to really live her life. Cast : Sonya Ryzy-Ryski, Michael Woods, Todd Gordon, Tom Sanders, Brad Hood, J.W. "Corkey" Fornof, Harry O'Connor, Dick "Skip" Evans | ||||||
| 9 | 48 | "Tears" | Zalman King | Zalman King | TBA | |
|
A talented young dancer becomes trapped in a love triangle involving a renowned choreographer. Cast : Daniel Ezralow, Cyia Batten, Troy Burgess, Priscilla Harris, Arabella Holzbog, Caitlin McLean, Regan Patno, Carolyn Seymour, Jeff Young | ||||||
| 10 | 49 | "Dime a Dance" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King | TBA | |
|
Winnie, Darcie, and Nan are dancers at a dime-a-dance joint. They each fall for their new bandleader, Michael. Cast : Ángel Ferreira, Hazel Miller, Dawn Whitaker, Bebe McGarry, Jennifer Burton, Al Israel | ||||||
| 11 | 50 | "Details" | Rafael Eisenman | Melanie Finn | TBA | |
|
Anne, a lonely and successful businesswoman, is drawn to a man who can't resist taking care of her neglected antique car. Cast : Alla Korot, Francesco Romano, Race Nelson | ||||||
| 12 | 51 | "Laundrymat" | Rafael Eisenman | Elisa D'Haene, Anthony Addabbo | TBA | |
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A lonely single mother meets a handsome drifter late one night at a laundromat. Cast : Audie England, Brett Stimely | ||||||
| 13 | 52 | "As She Wishes" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | TBA | |
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A man is marooned alone on an exotic island until one day when a beautiful woman arrives onshore. Cast : Amber Smith, Adamo Palladino | ||||||
Season 5 (1996)
edit| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 53 | "Weightless" | Rafael Eisenman | John Shirley | TBA | |
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An astronaut trapped in a dying spacecraft far from home has one last encounter with her co-pilot. Cast : Darya Poverennova, Mikhail Mamaev, Yuiri Malinovsky | ||||||
| 2 | 54 | "Carried Away" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King, Zalman King | TBA | |
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A woman retreats to a country farm to rethink her crumbling relationship with her boyfriend. A storm knocks out all communication except for carrier pigeon, leading the woman to communicate with her partner in a whole new way. Cast : Elena Leandrus, Mikhail Mamaev, Yuiri Malinovsky, Marina Cherneleac, Oxana Urib | ||||||
| 3 | 55 | "Jealousy" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King, Patricia Louisianna Knop | TBA | |
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An actor suspects his actress wife is having an affair with her hunky co-star. Cast : Patrick Budal, Yelena Zatolokina, Rubi Zack, Viktoriya Khadzhinova, Oleg Sukatchenko, Natalya Reva, Ekaterina Listrova, Aleksandr Seleznyov | ||||||
| 4 | 56 | "The Boxer" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King, Elise D'Haene | TBA | |
|
Kate, a photographer who has given up on love, falls for Max, a struggling boxer she allows to stay at her loft while they work together on a perfume ad. Cast : Melissa Behr, Patrick Budal, Heather Sutherland, Sherrie Rose, Erika Gabaldon | ||||||
| 5 | 57 | "Strip Poker" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King, Patricia Louisianna Knop | TBA | |
|
A photographer joins in a game of strip poker. Cast : Anfisa Nejinskaya, Larisa Tipikina, Yuliya Blokhina, Andrei Overchiuk, Vladimir Pliska, Marina Malchevskaya | ||||||
| 6 | 58 | "Hard Labor" | Zalman King | Zalman King, Elise D'Haene | TBA | |
|
Aleta, an advertising executive working on the campaign for Hard Labor Jeans, faces the prospect of forgiveness and redemption when she is confronted by her lover's ex. Cast : Jennifer Ciesar, Maximo Morrone, Jennifer Nash, Omar Alberto, Jim McMullan, Elan Atias, David McKay, Torry Pendergrass, Audie England | ||||||
| 7 | 59 | "Slow Train" | Zalman King | Julie Marie Myatt | TBA | |
|
Sally discovers her grandmother wasn't the passionless woman she'd thought her to be when she finds the diary she kept as a desperate young woman during the 1930s. Cast : Andrew Calder, Maureen Carter, Richard Hench, Floyd Irons, Athena Massey, Sam Menning, Henric Nieminen, Mark Zuelke | ||||||
| 8 | 60 | "Temple of Flesh" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | TBA | |
|
A couple's one-year anniversary celebration is crashed by a couple of hippies. Cast : Justin Carroll, Darren Foy, Anya Longwell, Elina Madison, Clement von Franckenstein, Martin Charles Warner | ||||||
| 9 | 61 | "Juarez" | Lizzie Borden | Caroline Yeh, Lizzie Borden | TBA | |
|
A young woman coming to terms with her mother's impending death becomes fascinated with a mysterious masked Mexican wrestler. Cast : Neith Hunter, Daniel Leza, Brad Fisher, Lupe Ontiveros, Sophia Santi, Sue Casey, Ludo Vika, Rick Garcia, Francisco P. Cardoza, Gokor Chivichyan, Jose P. Cordoza, Richard Doran, Salvador Guerrero IV, Mando Guerroro, Alvin Lion, Jeff Cadiente, Thomas Rosales Jr. | ||||||
| 10 | 62 | "Farmer's Daughter" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | TBA | |
|
The spirited daughter of a vineyard owner nurses an injured cyclist back to health. Cast : Patrick Budal, Irina Grigoryeva, Aleksandr Shitikov, Rubi Zack | ||||||
| 11 | 63 | "The Forbidden Zone" | Rafael Eisenman | Chloe King, Zalman King (story) | April 23, 1996 | |
|
A woman in an affair tells a story set in the far future in a completely puritan world, where the freedoms taken for granted are all but forbidden. Cast : Beverly Johnson, Anthony Addabbo, Honey Labrador, Jay Acovone, Albert Alexander, Bryan Anthony, Robin Antin, Lisa Arturo, Carmit Bachar, Michelle Beauchamp, Palmer Davis, Sharon Ferguson, Eric Fishman, Norman Howell, Nito Larioza, Kevin Alexander Stea, Taimak | ||||||
| 12 | 64 | "Art of Loneliness" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | August 17, 1996 | |
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Elizabeth, a blind late night radio personality, becomes involved in a love triangle with two other emotionally empty people. Cast : Raven Snow, Brad Fisher, Caron Bernstein, Honey Labrador | ||||||
| 13 | 65 | "The Picnic" | Rafael Eisenman | Zalman King | May 17, 1997 | |
| 14 | 66 | "Banished" | Rafael Eisenman | Tony Selznick | TBA | |
|
An angel is condemned to earth where he is cursed with the power to kill with a kiss. Cast : Vladimir Kehkaial, Cyia Batten, Carmit Bachar, Melissa Williams | ||||||
Release
editSyndication
editOriginally screened in the UK on Channel 5 in the 1990s,[9] the channel screened several episodes back-to-back on August 30, 2021. Red Shoe Diaries episodes were also broadcast on the Canadian television channel Showcase in August 2010.
Reception
editThough the series did not gain positive attention from critics,[10][11][12] it was a major success for Showtime and helped boost the network's viewership to compete with HBO in the 1990s.[13] It was the first softcore program to be touted by a premium cable network and to deliver consistently high ratings.[13][5] Imitators and softcore series similarly aimed at female audiences sprang up in the wake of the show's popularity, including The Hunger,[14] Emmanuelle in Space,[14] Women: Stories of Passion,[13] and Strangers.[15][16] TV critics described the series as "both creator of 'art house' soft porn and savior of the kind of quality programming for which pay cable has also become known", and "innovative for its time...[for staying] true to its basic, lusty principles while adding music-video artiness, jumpy, nervy video cuts and dim mood lighting for a veneer of upscale, almost snooty, erotica. Lifetime with nudity."[14]
Despite the series' foregrounding of a woman's perspective and inclusion of some lesbian story lines,[2] it did receive criticism for its heavy featuring of female nudity, particularly since no male full frontal nudity was shown.[5][17][18]
Home media
editAfter the 1992 release of the pilot movie, episodes from the series were compiled on VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD as branded Red Shoe Diaries movies. Each compilation features three episodes.
- Red Shoe Diaries (1992)
- Red Shoe Diaries 2: Double Dare. "Safe Sex" / "You Have the Right to Remain Silent" / "Double Dare"
- Red Shoe Diaries 3: Another Woman's Lipstick. "Just Like That" / "Another Woman's Lipstick" / "Talk to Me Baby"
- Red Shoe Diaries 4: Auto Erotica. "Accidents Happen" / "Auto Erotica" / "Jake's Story"
- Red Shoe Diaries 5: Weekend Pass. "Double or Nothing" / "Bounty Hunter" / "Weekend Pass"
- Red Shoe Diaries 6: How I Met My Husband. "How I Met My Husband" / "Naked in the Moonlight" / "Midnight Bells"
- Red Shoe Diaries 7: Burning Up. "Runway" / "Kidnap" / "Burning Up"
- Red Shoe Diaries 8: Night of Abandon. "Night of Abandon" / "Liar's Tale" / "In the Blink of an Eye"
- Red Shoe Diaries 9: Hotline. "Gina" / "Hotline" / "Love at First Sight"
- Red Shoe Diaries 10: Some Things Never Change. "You Make Me Want to Wear Dresses" / "Some Things Never Change" / "Alphabet Girl"
- Red Shoe Diaries 11: The Game. "The Game" / "The Cake" / "Like Father, Like Son"
- Red Shoe Diaries 12: Girl on a Bike. "Girl on a Bike" / "Written Word" / "Borders of Salt"
- Red Shoe Diaries 13: Four on the Floor. "The Psychiatrist" / "Four on the Floor" / "Emily's Dance"
- Red Shoe Diaries 14: Luscious Lola. "Luscious Lola" / "The Last Motel" / "Mercy"
- Red Shoe Diaries 15: Forbidden Zone. "Forbidden Zone" / "The Art of Loneliness" / "The Picnic"
- Red Shoe Diaries 16: Temple of Flesh. "Temple of Flesh" / "Juarez" / "The Farmer's Daughter"
- Red Shoe Diaries 17: Swimming Naked. "Swimming Naked" / "Jump" / "Tears"
- Red Shoe Diaries 18: Strip Poker. "Strip Poker" / "Slow Train" / "Hard Labor"
- Red Shoe Diaries 19: As She Wishes. "As She Wishes" / "Billy Bar" / "Weightless"
- Red Shoe Diaries 20: Caged Bird. "Caged Bird" / "The Ex" / "The Teacher"
On June 17, 2014, Kino Lorber released Season 1 on DVD in Region 1.[19][17] On the same day they also re-released Red Shoe Diaries - The Movie.[20] Season 1 was also made available on Amazon Prime Video.[21] The TV film and series (seasons 1-4) are also available on Tubi, a free streaming service.[2]
Second Red Shoe Diaries TV pilot
editIn 2006, Zalman King wrote and directed a second, feature-length Red Shoe Diaries TV pilot. This pilot was completed but never aired.[22]
Notes
edit- ^ Mary Lambert directed the episode but due to creative differences with Zalman King, had her name removed and is credited under the pseudonym Alan Smithee.[5]
References
edit- ^ Weinstein, Steve (May 18, 1992). "Moviemaker Takes His Flair for Erotic Fare to Showtime". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h O'Connell, Chris (July 25, 2019). "An Oral History of Showtime's 'Red Shoe Diaries'". MEL Magazine. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Griffin, Nancy (September 1991). "King". Premiere. Vol. 5, no. 1. p. 101. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Clark, Kenneth R. (October 1, 1991). "Premium Cable Channels Find a Niche in Nudity". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Marin, Rick (April 30, 1993). "Red Shoe Diaries: Female-driven success". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Lehman, Peter (2006). "Interview with Zalman King "In defense of myself, it's not soft core"". Jump Cut. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ White, Adam (April 27, 2020). "Zalman King: The forgotten auteur who revolutionised sex, kink and female desire on screen". The Independent. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Loynd, Ray (April 22, 1994). "Zalman King's Red Shoe Diaries Night of Abandon". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Arthurs, Jane (2004). Television and Sexuality. McGraw-Hill Education. p. 52. ISBN 978-0335209750.
- ^ Willman, Chris (May 16, 1992). "TV Reviews : 'Red Shoe Diaries': A Peek at Cinematic Foreplay". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Sauter, Van Gordon (May 15, 1992). "Red Shoe Diaries". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Tucker, Ken (May 1, 1992). "Red Shoe Diaries". EW.com. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c Andrews 2006, p. 160.
- ^ a b c "Viewers Lust After Erotica". Sun Sentinel. September 3, 1998. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Bellafante, Ginia (June 10, 1996). "Now, The Sex Files On Pay Cable, After Hours, Men And Women Do Much More Than Communicate". Time. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Andrews 2006, p. 276.
- ^ a b Kramer, Gary M. (July 7, 2014). "Revisiting Softcore 1990s Cable Staple 'Red Shoe Diaries,' Now Out on DVD". IndieWire. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Martin 1994, p. 55.
- ^ "Red Shoe Diaries DVD news: Date Change for Red Shoe Diaries - Season 1". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on June 1, 2014.
- ^ "Red Shoe Diaries - The Movie (DVD)". Kino Lorber. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014.
- ^ "Red Shoe Diaries - Season 1". Amazon Prime. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Golding, David (June 5, 2024). "Résumé of Film Editor David Golding". David Golding Studios. David Golding. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
Bibliography
edit- Andrews, David (2006). Soft in the Middle: The Contemporary Softcore Feature in its Contexts. Ohio State University Press. hdl:1811/24075. ISBN 978-0814210222.
- Martin, Nina K. (1994). "Red Shoe Diaries: Sexual Fantasy and the Construction of the (Hetero)Sexual Woman". Journal of Film and Video. 46 (2): 44–57. JSTOR 20688037. Retrieved June 6, 2023.